3D computer forward modelling of carbonate platform evolution

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Dating the birth, growth and death of Miocene carbonate platforms in the South China Sea, Central Luconia Province, Sarawak

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New Vision of the Shuaiba at a Regional Scale

This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submittedfor this conference.AbstractThe regional integration of well data, seismic observations and publishedinformation from the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula has led to abreakthrough in understanding the stratigraphy and depositional history of theShuaiba and in extracting implications regarding hydrocarbon prospectivity.The Shuaiba Formation is composed of system tracts from two supersequences,and the following subdivision is proposed: The Lower Shuaiba contains a TST andHST of a supersequence (Early Aptian, earliest late Aptian), while the UpperShuaiba is a LST prograding package of the next supersequence (late Aptian).The TST of the older supersequence is distributed more or less equally over theentire Shuaiba province and the HST of the same supersequence is characterizedby the development of the Bab Basin with a well-marked differentiation betweenbasin and margins. An unconformity separates this supersequence from the LST ofthe next Supersequence during which new carbonate facies prograded into the BabBasin. On the basis of this subdivision, we propose a new, unifiedstratigraphic nomenclature for the Shuaiba.Depositional facies associated with the 3 supersequence systems tracts aremarkedly different. Monotonous, widespread carbonate facies dominated the oldersupersequence. During the HST, organic-rich fine carbonates accumulated in theBab Basin while rudist-rich facies lined and vertically enhanced the southernand western basin margin or developed as relatively large isolated platforms onthe eastern slope of the Bab Basin. In the LST of the younger supersequence,new platforms prograded into the Bab Basin in a series of sub-linear, regularclinoforms that grew either parallel to the pre-existing southern and westernmargins of the Bab Basin or in a series of concentric rings, away frompre-existing isolated platforms.Extracting the detailed sequence stratigraphy of the clinoforms andunderstanding reservoir quality, presence of intraformational seals and trapconfiguration has allowed us to identify and predict areas of higher HCprospectivity in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula